I was interested in bringing Kykeon to the visitors in a way that could encourage them to go on the journey beyond the everyday. So we invited them to take part in a new ritual in the mesmerizing location of bats cave in the central Slovakia. 

Caves were traditionally connected to rituals, and even nowadays, they still feel like sacred spaces where we can rest our senses and reflect. So I think that the cave really is the ideal place to use a VR headset, and invite the audience to revisit ancient wisdom, and tap into the interconnectedness of everything. 

You are led on a walk through the forest, you can hear its sounds and smells, and feel the soil under your feet. Then you have a drink of Kykeon, pausing to take in the healing soundscape-  totally immersed in the beauty around you. So by the time you have put on your VR “mask”, you have already entered a new mindset.

And then, when you enter the VR world, you begin your journey inside the virtual cave. You gradually adopt the perspective of a shaman – gaining the ability to see the hidden realm.

You start to see things that you otherwise avoid seeing in your everyday life- you suffer the pangs of the world, and see into its darkest corners, before being reborn. Only then may (you) be able to communicate with the spirit beings, celestial mechanics and forgotten harmonics – awakening a part of yourself that you may have forgotten about.

Once the VR experience is finished, you find yourself back in the ‘real’ cave and woods. Again, you are in the right setting to sharpen your attention and be mindful of the whole. 

Hopefully you can take on the new ways of seeing, the new ways of sensing, and feel a bit more connected to the rich world around you.